


Ace of Newsies

by MatchinLaces01



Category: Newsies (1992)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28067784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatchinLaces01/pseuds/MatchinLaces01
Summary: Ace is my name. It's what my fellow newsies called me. Jack "Cowboy" Kelly named me that himself.I am the only girl newsie in all of Manhattan. I got a good thing going in Manhattan.  I used to be the only girl newsie in Brooklyn but things got tough and I moved my tush to Manhattan where things are easier.  At least newsie wise.Times are still tough with big man Pulitzer at the reigns but hey that's the newsie life, carryin' the banner.Little did I know that big man Pulitzer was out to make our lives all the more harder.
Relationships: Mush Meyers/Original Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

Ace woke up on her bottom bunk to Kloppman in her face. "Come on Ace, up and at 'em." She glared at him. "Good morning to you too sweetheart." He replied.

"You know Ace can't wake up without her morning frown." Kid Blink teased. "Shut up Blink." Ace groaned and got out of bed. 

Tumbler ran up to her and grinned. "Good mornin' Ace." "How're you so happy in the mornin'?" Ace asked with a yawn, walking to the group bathroom. 

"He went to the church early this morning and got an extra cup of joe." Skittery informed. "Great." Ace groaned, "Now he's gonna be bouncin' off the walls until who knows when." 

"You're in a bad mood this morning Ace." Racetrack noted as Ace washed her face. 

Kid Blink appeared on her other side. "I think I know why our dear Ace is so angry." Crutchy stood next to him, "Oh oh I know as well."

"Alright class I'll only ask whoever has their hand raised." Race said. Ace could feel the frown on her face deepening. The two idiots raised their hands and waved them around like, well idiots. "Crutchy the answer please." Race picked.

"Because Mush Myers was on a date." Crutchy leaned into her ear. "Correct!" Race shouted. "Aww Ace loves Mushy." Kid Blink teased. The room of newsies laughed.

The boys liked to tease Ace about her little crush on Mush. Curse the day Ace got drunk told Kid Blink. Don't drink until you're 21, kids. 

Ace turned to Kid Blink and grabbed his collar. "You want me to give you two bum eyes Blink?" Ace asked, threateningly. 

"Alright alright, leave her alone." Jack said, walking into the bathroom area. "Ace let go of Blink before he leaks on himself." 

Ace let go of Kid Blink and scoffed, "Anyone else want to bug me today?" Jack placed his hand on her head and moved her away. "It's too early in the morning for Ace to kill someone." He said.

The last newsie entered the bathroom, yawning. "Mushy you came home late yesterday." Racetrack commented, "Fun date?"

"It was alright." Mush answered. 

"Did you hear that Ace? Mush had fun on his date." Racetrack teased. She grabbed his nose and tugged it forward. He grunted in pain. "Shut up Race." Ace muttered. 

Jack got between the pair. "Stop it." he scolded.

"So, how'd you sleep Jack?" Mush asked. "On me back Mush." Jack replied. Mush laughed loudly, "Hear that fellas? Hear what Jack said?" He started play-punching Jack, "I asked Jack how he slept and he said 'On me back Mush'" Jack punched him back.

"Good morning Ace." Mush greeted. "Meyers." Ace replied, brushing her hair. "How'd you sleep?" He asked. She replied, "Better than you. You came home at 2 am." 

"What can I say? Victoria didn't want to say goodbye." Mush smirked. Ace scowled and smacked the back of his head. 

Racetrack got on the other side of her and oohed. She smacked the back of his head. 

"I gotta find me a new selling spot where they ain't used to seeing me." Crutchie said. "Try Bottle Alley or the harbour" Mush suggested. "Try Central Park, it's guaranteed" Race assured.

"Try any baker, bum, or barber." Jack said, shaving his face. Ace nodded in agreement, "They almost all knows how to read." Racetrack took the brush from her hands and she pushed him away.

Kid Blink came out of the stall and a horrible scent filled Ace's nose. "I smell money." He said as if he didn't just mustard gas them. "You smell foul!" Ace gagged. 

Kid Blink tried to take a swing at her but Mush got between them, "Met this girl last night." "Really tell us more Mush." Kid Blink asked. 

Ace rolled my eyes and left the floor. "Have a nice day Ace." Kloppman said. "You too sir." She replied walking out the door. 

She approached the church cart. "Good morning Ace." "Good mornin' Sister Maria." Ace greeted, accepting a cup of coffee. 

"Blessed children though you wander lost and depraved Jesus loves you, you shall be saved!" The other sisters sang as more Newsies approached the cart. 

Every now and then there'd be a mother searching through the crowds of Newsies looking for their child. They stick around a few weeks maybe a month then they're gone. Like it never mattered. 

Ace helped the nuns hand out food and coffee. She gave Tumbler a look of disappointment as he tried to reach for another cup of joe. 

She jumped off the cart and joined the rest of her friends. 

"I hope the headline's good today." Crutchy said as the newsies walked down the street. 

"I hope there's a good picture this time." Ace said, "Somethin' less blurry than last week's." 

"I hope there was an earthquake." Kid Blink said. "Or a war." Race added. 

"We need a good assassination." Tumbler said. They all turned to look at him, before nodding in agreement. When President Garfield was killed twenty years ago, there wasn't a pape unsold. Or so the legend goes. 

"How 'bout a crooked politician?" Snipeshooter suggested. The newsies rolled their eyes. "Hey, stupid, that ain't news no more." Ace threw her hat at him. 

Snipeshooter threw her hat back. 

The headline man wrote the headlines for the day on a large blackboard that looked over the street. 

"Trolley Strike Drags On For A Third Week" 

"Aww what kind of headline is that?!" Ace exclaimed. "This trolley strike is really hurtin' my sales." Racetrack complains. 

"Come on!" Jack pulls them along. "Carryin' the banner!" 

The newsies cheer back and begin running to the distribution center. 

They wait outside. Suddenly the Delanceys push through. Two rotten men whose mother didn't raise right because all they do is for money. Not a loyal bone in their body. 

"Dear me! What is that unpleasant aroma? I fear the sewer may have backed up during the night." Race jokes. Ace shook her head, "Nah, too rotten to be the sewers."

"It must be the Delancey brudders." Crutchie teased. The newsies laughed. "Hiya boys!" Race greeted. 

Oscar sneered at them and turned to Snipeshooter, "In the back, you lousy little shrimp." He threw him to the ground. 

"It's not good to do that." Race said. "Not healthy" Ace said, crossing her arms. 

"You shouldn't call people lousy little shrimps, Oscar, unless you're referring to the family resemblance in your brudda here." Jack jabbed. 

"5-1 that Cowboys skunks 'em. Who's betting?" Race called out. The newsies rejected the notion. "Bum odds!" Ace called out. 

"That's right. It's an insult. So's this" Jack took the hat right off of Oscar's head. 

The chase began. Jack weaved around Newsies and over a cart. He hid in the hood of a nearby shop and swung his feet out, hitting the Delancey's. 

He ran past and into a boy. The newsies held the Delanceys back. "What do you think you're doing?" The Newbie questioned. 

"Runnin'!" Jack exclaimed. 

He ran up the way and the Newsies followed. He ducked a punch and held onto Morris as Oscar tried to throw another punch. Morris was knocked out and Jack ran, jumping onto the gates of the pape distributor. 

The gates opened with Jack on them. He lined down the ropes hanging on the side. 

The newsies applauded. 

Ace leaned down to the little boy that was watching. He was new. "Cool ain't he? That's Cowboy." She said. "Cowboy." He replied in awe. 

Ace remembered when she was that amazed by him. She still is. 

The newsies went up the ramp to Weasel, the pape distributor, 'desk and made a line to wait. Ace motioned for the kid to go forward. She stood by Mush and Kid Blink. 

"How many papes today Ace?" Mush asked. I hummed in fake thought, "My hair looks nice today?" He nodded. "Forty papes it is then."

Kid Blink stuck his head in and checked her out. "Maybe you should get twenty Ace." She shoved his head back. 

"Thirty papes for Crutchy! Next!" Weisel called out. Newbie went up next. "Twenty papers please." He requested. "Thanks."

"Look at this, 'Baby Born With Two Heads'. Must be from Brooklyn." Race jokes. Ace kicked his back. 

"Hey, you got your lously papes, now beat it!" Weasel shouted. The newsies turned to the angry Weasel. He was still talking to the Newbie. 

"I paid for twenty. I only got nineteen." Newbie said. "Are you accusing me of lying, kid?" Weasel sneered. 

"No. I just want my paper." He fought. 

"He said beat it!" Morris shouted. 

"No, it's nineteen. It's nineteen, but don't worry about it. It's an honest mistake. I mean, Morris here can't count to twenty with his shoes on." Jack joked.

He turned, "Hey Ace, will ya spot me 2 bits?" Ace threw him a couple coins. "Another 50 for my friend." 

"I don't want another fifty." The newbie fought. 

Ace bought her papes and followed Jack and Newbie to the ground. The rest of the newsie surrounded them. 

"Sure you do. Every newsie wants more papes." Jack said. 

"I don't. I don't want your papes. I don't take charity from anyone. I don't know you. I don't care to. Here are your papes." 

Next to Newbie was a little kid. "Cowboy. They called him Cowboy." He voiced. 

"Yeah, I'm called that and a lot of other things, including Jack Kelly, which is what me mudder called me.what do they call you kid?" Jack asked. 

"Les, and this is my brother David. He's older." Les said. 

"No kidding. So how old are you Les?" Jack leaned. "Me? Near 10." Les answered. 

"Near 10. Well, that's no good. if anyone asks, you're 7. You see, younger sells more papes and if we're gonna be partners, we wanna be the best." Jack said. 

"Wait. Who said anything about being partners?" David stopped him

"Well, you owe me 2 bits right? Well, I'll consider that an investment. We sell together, we split 70-30, plus you get the benefit of observing me, no charge."

"Ah-ha." Davey laughed. Jack mocked him. 

"You're getting the chance of a lifetime here, Davey. You learn from Jack, you learn from the best." Crutchy said. 

"Well, if he's the best, then how come he needs me?" Davey asked. 

Ace laughed and Mush covered her mouth. Jack glared back at her. 

He turned back to Davey, "Listen, I don't need you, pal, but I ain't got a cute little brudder like Les here to front for me. With this kid's puss and my God-given talent, we could move a thousand papes a week. So what do you say Les? You wanna sell papes with me?"

"Yeah!" Les cheered. 

"So we got a deal?" Jack asked. 

"Wait. It's got to be at least 50-50." Davey said. "60-40, I forget the whole thing." Jack debated. 

Davey considered it and then offered his hand for Jack to shake. Jack spit in his own hand and Davey stepped back, repulsed. 

"What'sa matta?" Jack asked. "That's disgusting!" Davey replied. The newsies laughed. 

Jack led the newsies out onto the edge of the street. "The name of the game is volume, Dave. You only took twenty papes. Why?"

"Bad headline."

"That's the first thing you gotta learn. Headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes.” The newsies made noises of agreement. “You know, we're what holds this town together. Without newsies, nobody knows nothing." Jack said. “

A lady walked by and the newsies took off their hats and made flirtatious comments. "I'm in heaven." Mush said. Ace scoffed and punched his shoulder. She lifted her stack up and ran off to sell papes. "Baby born with three heads!"

\--

Ace scowled on her bed. "Hey Ace you wanna play a game?" Race asked, he held up a set of cards. "No." She turned away. 

He sighed and sat across from her. "What's the matter? You're not still upset at Mush for going out with that girl last night."

"No I'm not." She replied. "Maybe I just don't want to play Race. Have you ever thought about that?" 

She stood up and walked to the bathroom. Kid Blink and Mush came up the steps of the lodge. They had just finished selling all of their papers. 

She pushed Skittery aside to get to the sink. "Oh no it's that time of the month again ain't it?" Skittery joked. 

Ace spun on him. "Excuse me?!" She snapped. 

Mush ran over and held her back. "Come on Ace, cool it. Skittery don't be an idiot."

"I'm not. She's been in a bad mood all day. Maybe we should take caution for the red wave." Skittery continued. 

"Oh there's gonna be a red wave soon when my fist is introduced to your face!" Ace shouted, fighting against Mush's grip. 

"Like you could hurt me. You're just a girl." Skittery sneered. 

"Ace-" Mush lost his grip on Ace and she swung. She punched Skittery across the face. She launched herself on top of him and hit him again.

The Newsies oohed. 

"Ace!" Mush exclaimed and tried to pull her off. 

Jack walked into the room. "What the hell is going on here?!" 

He reached and pulled Skittery and Ace apart. He shoved Skittery back to be held onto by Dutchy and Ace to be held back by Mush. 

"She's psycho!" Skittery yelled. "How's it feel to be beaten by a girl?!" Ace shouted back. 

"Ace get some air." Jack ordered. Ace scoffed and pushed Mush off of her. She walked out of the house. 

—

She walked down the street, she could hear Mush pattering behind her. She turned. "What do you want, Meyers?" 

"Nothing. I'm just walking." Mush said. 

Ace scoffed and continued to walk. Mush followed. 

There was a moment of silence. 

"You know that Skittery didn't mean any harm. He's new to the newsie life.”

"Whatever." Ace rolled her eyes, "Get lost. I don't need no chaperone." 

There was another moment of silence. Ace thought he'd actually left. 

"You're not angry I went out with Victoria are you?" 

"What?" Ace snapped. 

His eyes went all wide. "Because Kid and Race were teasing you this morning. I figured it irked you but if you're still mad about it." 

"Shut up before you lose a finger Meyers." She growled, "I was worried when you didn't come home numbskull."

"I'm sorry." Mush apologized. Ace scowled. She took one look at Mush's puppy dog eyes and sighed. "Shut up." 

She linked arms with him. "Let's go home."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning was the same as the morning before but instead of lining up to get their papers the newsies were stopped by the new price of papers. 

“60 cents for 100 papers” 

“They jacked up the price!” Kid Blink exclaimed. Ace groaned. “We can’t pay this!” She fell back onto Mush.  
Jack, David, and Les walked over.

“You hear that Jack? Ten cents a hundred! You know, it's bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell, now they jack up the price! Can you believe that?” Kid Blink complained.

“This'll bust me, I'm barely making a living right now.” Skittery said. “I'll be back sleeping on the streets.” Boots added. 

“It don't make no sense. I mean, all the money Pulitzer's making, why would he gouge us?” Mush asked. “Because he's a tight wad, that's why!” Race shouted. “All the rich want is to be richer. It’s outrageous.” Ace scoffed. 

“Pipe down, it's just a gag.” Jack walked up to the desk, “So, why the jack up Weasel?” “Why not? It's a nice day. Why don'tcha ask Mr. Pulitzer?” Weasel smiled. It made Ace’s skin crawl.

“They can't do this to me Jack.” Kid Blink said as Jack came back down. “They can do whatever they want. It's their stinkin' paper.” Race said.

“It ain't fair. We got no rights at all.” Boots said. “Come on, it's a rigged deck. They got all the marbles.” Race said. 

Ace nodded, “When the Big Man stomps his foot we just gotta run for cover.” “Jack, we got no choice, so why don't we get our lousy papes while they still got some, huh?” Mush went to move. 

“No! Nobody's going anywhere. They can't get away with this!” Jack exclaimed. He took a seat on the steps.

The newsies surrounded him. “Give him some room, give him some room. Let him think.” Les ordered.

There was a pause of silence. The newsies grew anxious. Ace scratched the back of her neck nervously. 

Racetrack rolled his eyes and leaned in, “Jack, you done thinkin' yet?”

Weasel opened his dirty window. “Hey! Hey! Hey! World employees only on this side of the gate!” He scolded. The newsies shouted back at him. “So’s your mother!” Ace shouted.

“Well, listen. One thing for sure, if we don't sell papes, then nobody sells papes. Nobody comes through those gates until they put the price back to where it was.” Jack said.

“You mean like a strike?” Davey asked. “Yeah, like a strike!” Jack exclaimed. Ace shook her head. Race read her mind, “Are you out of your mind?” he asked. 

“They better prepare another bed at the loony bin.” Ace muttered. Mush snorted. 

“It's a good idea!” Jack defended.

“Jack, I was only joking. We can't go on strike, we don't have a union.” Davey tried to reconcile. “But, if we go on strike, then we are a union, right?” Jack asked.

“No, we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money. Maybe if we got every newsie in New York, but...” Ace hit Davey’s chest. “Don’t give him ideas.”

“Yeah, well we organize. Crutchy, you take up for collection. We get all the newsies of New York together.” Jack said. He got off the step and the newsies followed. 

Ace shook her head, “Look what you did Davey.” “Jack, this isn't a joke. You saw what happened to those trolley workers.” Davey said.

“Yeah, well that's another good idea. Any newsie don't join with us, then we bust their heads like the trolley workers.” Jack said. 

Ace considered it. A strike would be bad where they stand but if they got the man power then they might win. Davey shook her out of the thought. “Stop and think about this Jack. You can't just rush everybody into this” he said.

Jack stopped at the statue outside the distribution center. “Alright. Let me think about it. Listen. Dave's right. 

Pulitzer and Hearst and all them other rich fellas, I mean, they own this city, so do they really think a bunch of street kids like us can make any difference?”

“The choice has got to be yours. Are we just gonna take what they give us, or are we gonna strike?” Jack asked.

“Strike!” Les shouted. Davey pulled him back and covered his mouth. 

Ace nodded in agreement. “Let’s do this!” She shouted, “Keep talking Jack, tell us what to do!”

“Well, you tell us what to do Davey.” Jack said. Davey replied something up to Jack. 

Jack jumped onto the podium of the statue. “Hey listen! Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect the rights of the working boys of New York!” Jack announced. The newsies shouted in agreement. He leaned back to Davey who replied.

“Pulitzer and Hearst, they think we're nothing. Are we nothing?” Jack asked. “No!” The newsies shouted. 

“Pulitzer and Hearst, they think they got us. Do they got us?” Jack asked. “No!” The newsies shouted. 

“Even though we ain’t got hats or badges We’re a union just by saying so and the World will know!” Jack exclaimed. 

“What’s to start somebody else from selling our papes?” Ace asked. “Well, we’ll talk to them.” Jack answered.  
“Some of them don’t hear so good!” Race said. “Well then we’ll soak ‘em!” Jack announced. The newsies cheered. 

“No! We can’t beat up kids in the streets.” Davey said, “It’ll give us a bad name.” “Can’t get any worse.” Crutchy replied.

“What’s it gonna take to stop the wagons? Are we ready?” Jack asked. “Yeah!” “What’s it gonna take to stop the scabber? Can we do it?” Jack asked. Newsies shouted in agreement. “We’ll do what we gotta do until we break the will of mighty Bill and Joe!” Ace cheered. 

“When the circulation bell starts ringing will we hear it?” Jack asked. “No!” The newsies shouted. “What if the Delancey’s come out swinging’ Will we hear it?” Jack asked. Newsies shouted in disagreement. "We gotta get word out to all the newsies of New York. I need some of those….what’dja call ‘em?” 

“Ambassadors?” Davey suggested.

“Yeah, right. Okay, you guys, you gotta be ambastards and go tell the other that we’re on strike.” Jack said.  
Ace sighed. He better not send her to Brooklyn. Mush looked at her going pale. 

“Say, Jack, I’ll take Harlem” Kid Blink said. “Yeah, I got Midtown.” Race added. 

Mush slung an arm around Ace’s shoulders, “We got the Bowery, Jack.” They walked away together. 

\--

Jack, Davey, and Boots caught up to them later. “Where do you think you’re going Ace? You’re the only one who could possibly get Brooklyn with us.” Boots said. Ace scoffed. 

“Come on Ace help us get Brooklyn.” Jack said. “I told ya Cowboy I ain’t goin’ back.” She fought. They stared at her. She looked down at Les who was giving her puppy dog eyes. She relented.

“Stop buggin’. Fine, you want my help gettin’ Brooklyn? Tell Spot that he owes Ace big time. That’s all I got for ya. and ya shouldn’t have expected anythin’ else.” Ace walked away to the Bowery. Mush followed behind her. 

“Why didn’t you wanna go back to Brooklyn?” Mush asked as they walked down the street. “Brooklyn is a part of my past, I can’t go back and beg them. I left ‘em.” Ace said. 

The only person Ace told about her life in Brooklyn was Jack. And even then Spot Conlon was the one who told him. 

“When you’re a girl in Brooklyn either you toughen up or get out. I didn’t know that until it was too late and I had to leave.”

Ace ran a hand through her hair, “There were these crips back there, they waited until all the Newsies had gone to bed and grabbed me in the middle of the night.” 

“They gave me a shiner and broke my nose when I didn’t give ‘em what they wanted. When I woke up the next day I packed Up all my stuff and I left.”

—

Diana stumbled through the dark. Only muscle memory was navigating her home. She reached the lodging house and quickly found her cot. She fell against the nearby wall. Diana winced as she touched her nose. She tried to quiet her sobs. 

The gas light was turned on. Spot’s grey eyes searched her as he crouched down. 

“Diana,” he reached his hand but she shot back. Her eyes were wide and switched back and forth. Her hands gripped the bottoms of her pants. 

“Who did this to you?” He asked. 

“Snyder. He-“ Diana felt like she couldn’t breath. “He and his goons followed me into an alley. He asked where you were. I said I didn’t know.” 

She looked back up at Spot. “He was going to kill me Spot.” “Diana,” He tried to put an arm around her shoulders but she pushed him off. 

“Don’t touch me.” She said. Diana stood up.

“Diana where are you goin’?” Spot asked. She started packing her things. She muttered to herself. 

“Hey,” he grabbed her shoulder. She snapped up. “I said ‘don’t touch me.’” She zipped her bag, “This is your fault!” 

Her voice echoed through the lodging house. It felt like it resonated through all of Brooklyn. 

She swung her bag over her shoulder and walked out. Spot hoped that she’d come back but he knew she wasn’t.


End file.
